The wait for a potential merger between Dover Downs Gaming & Entertainment, Inc. and Twin Rivers Worldwide Holdings, Inc. could finally be coming to an end. Dover Downs, a Delaware-based company, had started discussing a potential merger with Rhode Island-based Twin River in July of last year and the two companies have now announced that Dover Downs shareholders will decide the fate of the merge in a special meeting next month.

If the merger goes through, Twin River, which is a privately-held company, would become a publicly traded company with a listing on either the NYSE or NASDAQ. That action has already received support by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), which reportedly declared effective the registration statement offered by Twin River that discussed the merger.

The merger is only one of a few big mergers that have been seen in the casino industry in the U.S. in recent times. As competition increases, operators have turned to mergers in order to gain better market position and pool their resources to become more efficient.

The special meeting for Dover Downs shareholders will take place on March 26 at 8 PM Eastern Time. It will be held at the Dover Downs Hotel & Casino and all shareholders on the record as of the close of business from February 5 will be allowed to vote on the proposal. If that vote is successful, the merger will most likely be consummated shortly after the meeting.